Donald Trump had promised in his 2016 presidential campaign that he would get a stronger Mexico border wall built to deter the entry of illegal immigrants and drug smugglers and ensure the safety of America and her people. He had said Mexico would fund the wall, but that has not happened. His administration began the work, and there appears to be some urgency. The task now is to build new sections of a wall on the southern border in order to meet the target set by Trump last year. In January, reports mentioned that the border wall is expected to come up by November 2020 before his reelection.

Accordingly, contractors have undertaken the work on land owned by the federal government. They would confine themselves to locations where instances of illegal border crossings are comparatively low. While the new wall would replace the earlier border fence of the late 2000s, there would be new wall stretches in places. These include areas where the rugged terrain already acts as a natural barrier.

Wall Street Journal quotes the Department of Homeland Security official saying every mile of the barrier would be new and complemented with roads, enforcement cameras, and other related technology. Incidentally, there is a decline in the number of crossings compared to the previous year. One reason was a program that required asylum seekers to wait in Mexico for U.S.

court hearings. Another was the COVID-19 and corresponding shutdown.

The border wall is an investment

During a news conference last week, an official of Border Patrol described the new wall system as an investment. It includes border access roads and lighting, and it has allowed agents the freedom to concentrate in more-remote areas.

In his words - "Every mile of border (wall) system is an investment with an immediate return on investment to the American taxpayers." Wall Street Journal mentions legal and political battles on the subject. There was the most extended government shutdown in U.S. history on funding for the Mexico border wall. It finally resulted in the diversion of funds from the Pentagon towards the project.

Environment issues of the border wall

Work on building the wall is proceeding, but the progress appears to be slow. Before using military money to finance the wall, just 37 miles of the redesigned border wall took shape. Subsequently, the administration identified another 100 miles of new construction. By mid-October, the length of the wall built was about 370 miles. It included the replacement of existing fencing or vehicle barriers. Wall Street Journal brings up issues related to the environment. Until now, most of the new wall is on government owned land. However, much of the land enjoys protection for conservation. There is a stretch of wetland in the San Bernardino National Wildlife Refuge.

It is home to several species of endangered Yaqui fish. The wall would need modifications to accommodate these factors. Incidentally, the sounds of different types of birds are getting lost in heavy machinery's harsh sounds as work proceeds.

The color of the border wall would be black

According to CNN, black would be the color scheme for a stretch of 80 miles of the wall. U.S. Customs and Border Protection CBP oversees its construction. It is testing out this color to assess the operational benefits. An official explained – this would provide a contrast against the natural surroundings but would not come cheap. It seemed during an Oval Office meeting last year, Donald Trump had indicated his preference for black color and French-style doors.

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